[Added 7-7-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-17]
A. 
The Borough Council finds and declares that there are properties located in the Borough where nuisances exist and other activities occur which have resulted in the excessive consumption of municipal services.
B. 
The Borough Council further finds and declares that the cost of the excessive consumption of municipal services relating directly to these nuisance properties should be paid by the property owner and not through general tax revenues.
C. 
The Borough further finds that assessment of an excessive use charge for excessive consumption of municipal services will incentivize property owners to actively participate in solving the problems occurring on their property.
D. 
This article is intended to establish regulations and procedures identifying and providing for the assessment and timely payment of the cost of excessive consumption of municipal services associated with these nuisance properties.
As used in this article, the following terms are defined as set forth herein:
EXCESSIVE MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Any qualifying Seaside Heights Police Department and Seaside Heights Fire Department calls for municipal services made to a property while that property is on probationary nuisance status.
EXCESSIVE USE FEE
A fee of $300 for each additional qualifying call made to the subject property within the twelve-month period following the date a complaint is issued for excessive consumption of municipal services.
NUISANCE PROPERTY
Properties on which activities occur that result in qualifying Seaside Heights Police Department, Seaside Heights Fire Department, and Seaside Heights Code Enforcement Division calls for municipal services during a rolling 180-day period in excess of the number of calls listed on the schedule in § 122-40 are considered nuisance properties and are subject to the penalties and procedures as set forth in this article.
PROBATIONARY NUISANCE STATUS
The designation applied to properties which, as determined by the public officer, have received the requisite number of qualifying calls within a rolling 180-day period. Probationary nuisance status is effective for a twelve-month period beginning on the date of the public officer's determination. During probationary nuisance status, the property owner is liable to the Borough for user charges from each qualifying call.
QUALIFYING CALLS
Calls resulting from Seaside Heights Police Department and Seaside Heights Code Enforcement Division responses to potential violations of state or local laws, regulations, or ordinances, including, but not limited to, those categories of laws cited in the following list, and others not so identified but specifically determined to be qualifying by the hearing officer. Not included as qualifying calls are service calls for permitting, licensing, inspections, or similar administrative functions and calls by or on behalf of a person protected under the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991, P.L. 1991, c. 261 (N.J.S.A. 2C:25-17, et seq.).
A. 
Unlawful sale, service, or consumption of alcoholic beverages.
B. 
Disorderly conduct or disturbing the peace.
C. 
Fighting.
D. 
Littering.
E. 
Indecent exposure or lewd conduct.
F. 
Loud music constituting a nuisance or disturbing the peace.
G. 
Damage to property or injury to a person.
H. 
Improperly parking a vehicle, or any motor vehicle violation on private property.
I. 
Possession of a barking, howling, biting, or dangerous animal.
J. 
Unlawful sale, possession, storage, manufacture, cultivation, delivery, distribution, or use of a controlled substance and paraphernalia for its use.
K. 
Prostitution and prostitution-related activity.
L. 
Public urination, defecation, or indecent exposure.
M. 
Criminal activity.
N. 
Juvenile complaints and unlawful juvenile activity.
O. 
Unlawful use or possession of a firearm.
P. 
Borough property maintenance, zoning, construction, fire, health and trash/recycling codes.
Q. 
Calls resulting from Seaside Heights Fire Department responses to false alarms.
The Borough Administrator, or his or her designee, is designated as the public officer and shall administer the necessary recordkeeping and investigation required in connection with this article with the personnel resources, data, information, and assistance of the Seaside Heights Police Department and Code Enforcement Division.
A. 
The Chief of Police, or his or her designee, and the Fire Chief, or his or her designee in the case of false alarms, shall keep and maintain records documenting the following information concerning the properties serviced:
(1) 
The exact address and Tax Map designation of the subject property.
(2) 
The name(s) and address of property owners.
(3) 
The date(s) of the incidents.
(4) 
A full description of the nature of the incident and the violation(s).
(5) 
The identity of the public employee providing or responsible for providing the municipal service(s).
B. 
The Chief of Police, Seaside Heights Police Department, Fire Chief, and Seaside Heights Fire Department shall coordinate with the public officer and other municipal agencies to enforce this article.
Properties that necessitate qualifying calls for municipal services that exceed the amounts set forth in the following schedule are designated nuisance properties and subject to penalties and procedures established under this article.
A. 
Residential properties of one through four dwelling units: five qualifying calls.
B. 
Multifamily dwellings and hotels/motels:
(1) 
Five through 25 dwelling units: five qualifying calls.
(2) 
Twenty-six through 100 dwelling units: 10 qualifying calls.
(3) 
Over 100 dwelling units: 15 qualifying calls.
C. 
Community residences: five qualifying calls.
D. 
Convenience, grocery, liquor and retail stores: five qualifying calls.
E. 
Restaurants, bars, and entertainment establishments: 10 qualifying calls.
F. 
All other properties not included in the preceding categories: 10 qualifying calls.
G. 
False alarms: four false alarms.
A. 
Whenever the public officer determines that any property has become a nuisance property based on excessive consumption of municipal services, he or she shall issue an administrative complaint setting forth the location of the property, declaring that the property is on probationary nuisance status, and the allegations supporting a finding of excessive use and a notice of hearing setting forth the date and time and place for a hearing on the matter.
B. 
The complaint shall also provide notice:
(1) 
That the property will be on probationary nuisance status for the 12 months following the date of the complaint.
(2) 
That, during the probationary nuisance status period, each additional qualifying call to the property will be subject to a user fee of $300 per call.
(3) 
Listing the dates and the nature of the qualifying calls made to the subject property that gave rise to the determination of excessive use.
(4) 
Directing that the offending activities be immediately abated.
C. 
The complaint and notice of hearing shall be served on the property owner. Service shall be made by regular mail and either certified mail return receipt required, or overnight delivery service to the last-known address of the recipient as it appears in Borough records.
D. 
If the whereabouts of the property owner cannot be ascertained by reasonable diligence, service of the complaint and notice of hearing shall be effectuated as follows:
(1) 
One-time publication of a summary of the complaint and notice of hearing in one of the Borough's official newspapers.
(2) 
Conspicuous posting of the complaint and notice of hearing on a building or structure located on the subject property.
E. 
Should the number of qualifying calls to any property meet or exceed 50% of the number specified in § 122-40, the public officer may, but is not required to, so notify the owner, tenant, or occupant thereof.
A. 
A hearing, unless waived in writing by the property owner, shall be held within 30 calendar days of the date of service of the complaint. The public officer shall present evidence at the hearing and may produce witnesses in support of the allegations recited in the complaint. The property owner and any interested party shall have the right to appear at the hearing and testify, produce witnesses, and be represented by an attorney.
B. 
The Municipal Attorney or annually appointed hearing officer may be designated by the public officer to serve as hearing officer under this article. The hearing officer is charged with determining whether, in a rolling 180-day period, the subject property received qualifying calls in excess of those permitted under § 122-40. If so, the hearing officer shall confirm that the property was on probationary nuisance status from the date of the complaint. If the hearing officer also determines that qualifying calls were made to the subject property during the probationary period, the fact shall be so noted in the hearing officer's findings. The Hearing Officer may consider the disposition of the qualifying calls in the municipal court in the final determination. Based on these findings, the hearing officer shall enter an order against the property owner.
C. 
The following shall be memorialized in the hearing officer's order:
(1) 
A finding that the subject property was on probationary nuisance status.
(2) 
A determination that an excessive number of qualifying calls were made to the subject property during the probationary nuisance status period.
(3) 
An assessment of the costs of a court reporter and transcript.
(4) 
An assessment of a user fee of $300 per call for each qualifying call, in excess of the permitted number.
D. 
Additional qualifying calls to the subject property following the hearing and within a one-year period from the date of the complaint constitute a further violation of this article and are subject to a $300 per call user fee.
E. 
The hearing officer's order shall be served upon the appropriate parties in the same manner as service of the complaint and notice of hearing; except that, in the event the whereabouts of the property owner, tenant, or occupant cannot be ascertained, then the order shall also be recorded in the Ocean County Clerk's office.